Letters to the Editor

Sue Carr

“I am encouraging my Monona and Eastside neighbors to support Sarah Smith for re-election to the Dane County Board. I have gotten to know and respect Sarah over the last two years, and I firmly believe she is the best candidate for the job. Sarah works well with colleagues and other municipal elected officials in our community to achieve results.”

Mayor Mary O’Connor

“Sustainability is important to Sarah, as evidenced by her service on the Monona Sustainability Committee for the past several years. She has built relationships with community leaders which have served Monona well in working with Dane County, something I have appreciated as Mayor of Monona.”

Former Monona Alder Andy Kitslaar

“Sarah has been a successful supervisor these past two years because she’s involved, listens, is collaborative, and takes action. Her work-ethic is exactly what we need to continue to have in our representative to the Dane County Board of Supervisors.”

Monona Alder Doug Wood

“In just her first two years on the County Board, Sarah has demonstrated her ability to navigate challenges and deliver for our community. Most people, if takes awhile to get their feet on the ground. Not Sarah, within a few months of her election to the County Board, Sarah successfully authored a $2 million budget amendment to provide funding for the city of Monona’s purchase and preservation of the San Damiano property. As a longtime Monona alder, I’ve had the chance to work with many smart talented elected officials, but I can’t recall anyway starting off with a bang like that!”

Monona Alder Molly Grupe

“Sarah has demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement and a clear understanding of the County Board’s role in the maintenance of clean lakes and criminal justice reform, two causes she has championed through her votes and actions on the Board.”

In the News

March 15, 2022 | Smith is Best Choice for County Board

“Supervisor Sarah Smith is a proven leader. Smith was a champion for keeping the beautiful San Damiano Park in Monona public and accessible for all. We applaud her view that the jail should be improved- but not enlarged. She is a strong advocate for the environment and clean water.

We encourage everyone in District 24 to give Smith another term in office to fight for issues important to Madison’s East Side,” Liz Dannenbaum & Donna Winter.

February 2, 2022 | Dane County board accepts grant to protect lakes from invasive species

Supervisor Sarah Smith, District 24, who co-sponsored RES-306 with four other supervisors, explained the grant is focused on detection, prevention and control of invasive species. Accepting the funds will help Dane County protect clean water and native species, she told the Cap Times.

“Keeping our water clean and our lakes healthy is a team effort, and this program puts an emphasis on volunteers, citizen monitoring and more collaboration to do just that,” Smith said.

January 31, 2022 | Progressive Local Leaders Endorse Supervisor Sarah Smith for Re-election

"Sarah is an excellent supervisor," said Chair Eicher. "She has been instrumental in passing successful initiatives from protecting our lakes and addressing homelessness to supporting our workers and pandemic response. I am honored to endorse Sarah and look forward to what she will achieve in her second term."

October 21, 2021 | County Board to…Consider Grant and Land Purchase.

Resolution 2021 RES-124 is also on the agenda for the Board’s consideration. The resolution to accept a farmland preservation plan grant in the amount of $30,000 is to support updating and recertifying the Dane County Farmland Preservation Plan, which is required by state law to be recertified every 10 years. The Dane County Farmland Preservation Plan makes farmers eligible for state benefits under the Working Lands Initiative, including income tax credits under　WI State Statute Ch. 91.51.

 "The farmland preservation program is important to conserving our county's land and water resources for generations to come," said County Supervisor Sarah Smith (District 24). "This grant will help us begin the recertification process for this program to continue its success."

September 24, 2021 | Dane County continues support for pandemic-related homeless shelter services

Supervisor Sarah Smith, District 24, said in the statement that the county’s hotel-to-housing initiative is “truly making a difference in people’s lives” and will continue to be a “critical part” of how Dane County is addressing homelessness. 

“I look forward to seeing this program continue to help our neighbors get back on their feet,” Smith said.  

The $2.6 million hotels-to-housing initiative began in May 2021 and provides up to two years of housing search help, rental assistance and case management services to people experiencing homelessness who are currently staying in hotel shelter funded by Dane County.    

August 30, 2021 | Dane County Officials Considering Plan to Shelter Homeless

Wegleitner’s resolution would also make some more immediate changes that do not require funding, including directing county staff to find sites for lawful car camping and changing county ordinances to allow homeless people to stay for free at county campgrounds for extended periods of time…..

Sup. Sarah Smith, 24th District, a sponsor of the resolution, said the county already has campgrounds in some of its parks, so the ordinance changes are an easy way to provide another option for those who aren’t comfortable with staying at Reindahl Park. She doesn’t support kicking people of of Reindahl but hopes this could give people more flexibility.

“It’s a unique way that the county can step up,” she said.

August 23, 2021 | Monona leaders discuss economy, government, schools and more at roundtable event

Dane County Board Supervisor Sarah Smith, who represents Monona in District 24, said ARPA and CARES funding have helped the county stream $10 million into Second Harvest Foodbank to “address the growing food insecurity that we’ve seen during the pandemic.”

Smith also said $5 million in grant funding from an original pot of $15 million is waiting to be allocated to local small businesses through Dane Buy Local.

Out of the $9.8 million already awarded, 51 of the grant applications were from Monona business owners, Smith said. The average individual grant amount is $8,157.

August 8, 2020 | Dane County supervisors raise questions with health officials over return to work of Epic employees

Dane County Supervisor Sarah Smith says she's received many concerned emails from employees about this decision.

That's why more than a dozen supervisors sent a letter to the public health department to get some some questions answered about the impact this reopening could have.

"This isn't a small company, this is 10 thousand people," Smith said. "So this isn't just a question of whether a small business can open or not and whether they're making the right decision, this impacts the entire county."

June 3, 2021 | Dane County Board considers authorizing San Damiano Friary purchase

Acquiring the property will preserve green space in the city, provide public recreational opportunities and protect the stretch of Lake Monona shoreline, the county said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the county and the city of Monona to preserve land that is publicly accessible on the shore of Lake Monona,” County Board Supervisor Sarah Smith said. “I’m glad the County is able to put funds towards this purchase, and hope that San Damiano will be a bustling park that provides an opportunity for everyone in Dane County to get some fresh air and take in the Lake Monona views.”

May 20, 2020 | Election Q&A: Dane County Board District 24

“Especially for people that live close to the shoreline as many of our neighbors do, water quality and rising lake levels are critical to the future of our community. While the county has been working toward developing solutions, we will need to continue to address new threats of flooding and pollutants like PFAs. It will require partnerships across county and municipal governments to develop the best comprehensive solutions.”

December 14, 2019 | 'Dramatic' turnover ahead for Dane County Board after spring election

“Others, like Smith, feel millennials need to start making decisions in local government. Smith is a communications director for Sen. Patty Schachtner, D-Somerset, and is currently a member of the city of Monona’s Sustainability Committee.

“Millennials are going to be the biggest voting block for years to come, and I think it’s really important we start to hold elected office,” Smith, 27, said.”

March 9, 2017 | Hundreds gather at Capitol for ‘Day Without Women’ event

The rally was connected to International Women’s Day, which is being celebrated throughout the world Wednesday.

“Women are under valued and under appreciated. Striking is a way to show our absence and make it obvious that we are important and valuable, and we deserve to be listened to,” said Sarah Smith, one of the organizers.